KEEP YOUR CHILDREN STUDYING OUTSIDE OF CLASS

OUTSIDE OF CLASS

Some specialists suggest that if a child is doing well in school, he/she should do a couple of extracurricular activities that might keep them busy twice or thrice a week, but they insist that it should be a combination of activities requiring study (such as, music, painting) and recreation (sports). These activities will help them build habits, so the child may see his/her continuous process, not mere by entertainment.  We shouldn’t burden the child with overwhelming learning activities, as these should not take time from studying.

TIME-WASTING ACTIVITIES

Video games, playstation, TV, computer... are just some of the time-wasting activities children as face with nowadays. The ideal would be not to have to hide these, but rather control the time dedicated to TV, video games. This should be done early on, for example since the age of seven and not at fifteen, so that these become habits and do not grow up to oppose parents authority and established rules. Some psychologists suggest putting a time limit for the use of such items, and allow their use only when they have finished studying.

NEW TECHNOLOGIES 

Children associate the Internet to games, not to studying. Therefore, monitoring their studies might be harder. The Internet is more of a game than a pedagogic tool that is why if it’s not used in the right manner it could get out of control. For new technologies to have a positive impact on their learning process, parents must have previous knowledge of how their children use these technologies, how they relate to them and in them, how they manage and see that this has become their window to the world, a universe in which, speed and interconnectivity have become best allies.

TIPS TO INCREASE YOUR WRITING SKILLS

1. Composing music

Compose a song for the text using alternative styles.

2.  Acrostics

1. Write a word vertically.
2. Each letter has to be the start of a word that describes the text.

3.  Cryptograms

1. Write the text using numbers, letters and other symbols.
2. Give the deciphering key to the students.
3. The students have to decipher it.

4.  Hieroglyph

1. Write the text on a poster.
2. Substitute the nouns and adjectives with squares whenever it’s possible.

5.  Crossword.

Make a crossword with words used in the text.

6.  Alphabet soup

1. The students have to look for words related to the lesson.
2. In the end, the loose words form the verse.

7.  Relay race

1. Divide the class into two teams.
2. Ask each group to form a line on the opposite side of the blackboard.
3. Divide the blackboard in two with a vertical line in the middle.
4. When you give the signal, a student in each line has to run to the blackboard and write the first word of the verse.
5. Then, he has to return to his line, touch the shoulder of the next student and go to the back of the line.
6. Repeat this until the entire verse has been written on the blackboard.
7. The group finishing first wins.  

8.  Broken telephone

1. Ask the students to sit down forming a semicircle.
2. Whisper the verse in one of the students’ ears and ask him to whisper it to the next student.
3. Compare what the first student heard with what the last one said.
4. Repeat the verse correctly with everyone.

IMPROVE A CHILDREN'S SCHOOL EXPERIENCE

WHEN THEY AREN’T DOING WELL

When a student didn’t acquire a study habit since an early age, his/her development becomes deficient, the same occurs in school, as the child doesn’t feel motivated either. The same exact thing will happen at home, and often, there will be tension between the child and the parents when it is time to study. The most important thing for these students is for them to find motivation, ensuring they don’t realize boring and repetitive activities, making sure they can relate these to topics they are interested in (such as animals, sports, etc), as well reach an agreement with the teacher. Students with low grades, tend to work only when it is time for the exam. They should follow a work plan on a daily basis, and see their efforts and achievements in the short term. This will help determine if this plan is giving good results or not, or if this work plan should be tailored with the help of a teacher.

MAINTAINING CONTACT WITH THE SCHOOL

In order to achieve success in your child’s studies, it is important to, firstly, monitor the child at home, and secondly, maintain contact with the child’s teachers and meet often to discuss about the child’s learning process but as well their emotional performance. The goal is for the parents to know what goes on in class, and for the teacher to know what goes on at home, this permits both sides to meet and discuss any concern, etc…

MORE TIPS FOR WRITERS

1.  Fill in the blanks

1. Write the verse in the blackboard, leaving several words as blanks.
2. Ask the students to take turns to fill the blanks with the right words. 

2. Cardboard symbols

a.        Cut symbols to represent sections of the verse to memorize.

b.        Write the text’s words in them.

c.         Make simple figures like geometric shapes, a heart, an open book, etc.

3.  The ABC game

1. Divide the class into teams.
2. The teacher should be in a position that leaves him or her above the players, in order to be able to see all of them.
3. Then, he yells a letter of the verse, and each team has to form the letter as quickly as possible (like a marching band would do).
4. The first team to form the letter wins a point.
5. Keep saying every letter in the verse until it’s completed.
6. The team that says the full verse first wins fine extra points, if they make a mistake, they lose one point. 

4.  Hangman

1. Write a dash for every letter of the text, leaving the corresponding blanks.
2. Each student picks a letter. If the letter is in the text, you write it in all the right places.
3. If the letter is not there, draw a part of the doll to be hanged.
4. The students must say all the right letters before the doll is hanged.

5.  Completing syllables

1. Write the text, omitting some syllables, leaving a dash for them.
2. Write the missing syllables out of order, underneath the text.
3. The students try to complete the text.

6.  The human cards

1. Write the words and the passage in white sheets of paper (one word per sheet).
2. Place a sheet on each student’s chest with safety pins or pins.
3. When you give the signal, the students have to get in the right order for the verse. 
4. When they are all standing in the right order, repeat the verse together.